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A deadly crash in Spain, pressure over the US midterms, and a surprise change at the European Central Bank shaped Thursday's news.
Thursday, October 29, 2026. A deadly train crash in Spain led the day, while Donald Trump intensified his involvement in the US midterm races and the European Central Bank announced that Christine Lagarde will leave early next year.
In Spain, at least 69 people were killed in a train crash. Emergency crews continued their work on Thursday as police, medical teams and military units supported the identification of victims at the Institute of Legal Medicine of Toledo. In France, residents of Trappes mourned 26-year-old Pengo Bossio Wangi, killed in a suspected racist terror attack that injured five other people. Hundreds marched in his memory and to support his family. Local mediators also mobilized to help people affected by the attack. Somalia’s lower house of parliament passed a bill addressing sexual violence. The country’s criminal code dates to 1962 and had not been updated since. And in Israel, the Central Elections Committee asked the head of the Shin Bet, the country’s domestic security agency, to investigate alleged foreign interference in the Knesset elections. The allegations include suspected funding and bribery linked to Qatar. Russia is also pursuing a more visible role in Africa. Alex Vines of the European Council on Foreign Relations pointed to the latest Russia-Africa summit, attended by representatives of 48 African countries and 22 heads of state or government. Vines said there was a clear market for Russian engagement, but questioned whether Moscow’s security partnerships and information operations were building lasting institutions. Recruitment practices were another concern. In Brazil, Flávio Bolsonaro arrived in Miami with his family on Wednesday after losing the presidential election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Brazil’s Supreme Court had reportedly considered him a flight risk amid corruption investigations and ordered his passports seized. In the United States, the midterm campaign was a focus for Donald Trump. He called for two candidates in Alaska’s Senate race to be removed from the ballot and prosecuted, alleging a scheme to mislead voters. The dispute followed a New York Times investigation reporting that people linked to Democratic candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign discussed recruiting candidates who could draw votes from Republican Senator Dan Sullivan. The candidates and campaign officials denied parts of the account. The reported tactic is generally legal. Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered the state Department of Public Safety to investigate whether an effort to recruit a second Dan Sullivan into the race broke state law. Peltola’s campaign denied wrongdoing. The BBC said it had not independently verified the report. Trump has also urged voters to imagine he is on the ballot as he campaigns for Republican candidates. The approach makes his own record and conduct part of the midterm contest, while Democrats are using his association with those candidates in their campaigns. The BBC spoke with voters in 17 states about the issues shaping their choices. They named the economy and the immigration crackdown, as well as worries that the country could become fascist or communist. On workers’ safety, Democratic lawmakers called on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to withdraw proposed changes that would reduce some employers’ duties to provide respirators and medical evaluations. The lawmakers and worker-safety groups said the changes could weaken protection from hazardous substances. The agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In England, a joint report by four regulators found that water companies’ environmental performance fell again in 2025. Serious pollution incidents remained high despite £5 billion of investment over five years. Regulators said some companies had not completed the environmental improvement schemes that the funding was meant to support. Across the Atlantic, France again had the European Union’s highest tax burden, at 46 percent of gross domestic product. The country’s national debt was also growing. Protests have focused on education funding and falling purchasing power, while the government has proposed a small increase in the minimum wage. The European Central Bank said Christine Lagarde will leave the presidency on February 7, 2027, months before her term was due to end in October. The European Council will appoint her successor under the rules set out in EU treaties. In the United Kingdom, Lloyds Banking Group finance chief William Chalmers criticized a government plan to raise the bank surcharge to pay for short-term energy bill support. He urged ministers to make any increase temporary, arguing that predictable taxes and competitive banks support lending and economic growth. Poundland, the discount retailer, filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators. That gives the company 10 days to seek a rescue deal if the High Court approves. Its owner, Gordon Brothers, is exploring a sale after a potential offer from Martin Property Group fell short of its expectations. A US cruise company, Villa Vie Residences, suspended operations of its Odyssey ship after running out of money. About 200 passengers were left in Cambodia. The company cited exceptional increases in fuel costs linked to the US-Israel war with Iran. Technology and the regulation of digital services brought a second set of stories. Britain’s media regulator, Ofcom, outlined four methods social media companies could use to verify whether UK users meet the age limit under a planned ban on access for under-16s. The measures still require government approval. Platforms would have to choose and implement checks that protect users’ privacy and personal data. A new Dyson toothbrush combines an electric brush with a water flosser. Its camera and app are designed to spot gaps between teeth and direct water jets at them. It costs £419.99, and early reports of failures have added to doubts about whether the technology justifies the price. Activision faced criticism over real footage of South Korea’s 2022 Itaewon crowd crush appearing in the opening of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. The footage shows rescue efforts and victims during a fictional North Korean invasion. Families of those killed have called for it to be removed. Activision said it did not intend to make light of the tragedy. And plans to make short vertical videos from old episodes of Neighbours have raised concerns among some former cast and crew. Fremantle and RoseBerry Media plan to use artificial intelligence to find material, initially focusing on Margot Robbie’s character. The companies say the videos will reuse existing footage and performances, with human editors reviewing the cuts. Some former participants question whether they consented to this use and what their contracts permit. Finally, a team from Nomad Exploration found the wreck of the Canadian steamship SS Cornwallis off the coast of Maine. A German submarine sank it in December 1944, and the wreck lies nearly 400 feet underwater. The same submarine, U-1230, had landed two German spies in Maine four days earlier.
Elena Rybakina secured the year-end women’s world number one ranking by beating Yulia Putintseva 6-2, 6-3 in the Pan Pacific Open round of 16 in Tokyo. She cannot be caught in the remaining weeks of the season and will next face Leylah Fernandez in the quarter-finals. Naomi Osaka’s season ended with a 6-3, 7-5 second-round loss to 18-year-old Mia Pohankova at the same tournament. Osaka said she felt good about her tennis and would keep working toward a return to Grand Slam-winning form. In football, Inter Miami drew 2-2 with Cincinnati after Luis Suárez put Miami ahead and late goals changed the result. Miami sat two points behind New England in the race for second place in the Eastern Conference. Cincinnati had two games left as it pursued a playoff place. Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid and La Liga apologized after a video showed Mbappe joking about an internet meme placing his face on Mao Zedong. Chinese brands cut ties with Mbappe, and state broadcaster CCTV removed Spanish top-flight matches from its schedule. In college football, ESPN presenter Pat McAfee said he felt uncomfortable during a College GameDay visit to the University of Utah after students posted a video mocking his on-air persona. The university deleted the video and apologized. ESPN expressed support for McAfee and his safety concerns. And Senegal is preparing to host the Youth Olympic Games, which begin this weekend. Kenyan female boxers are training to face stronger opponents and hope to show their talent on the international stage. That's the day. The Actual News.
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